There ought to be a law against using the word media as a singular

I read somewhere the other day that the use of the word “media” as a singular has become so widespread that it’s now considered grammatically acceptable.

Well, it’s not acceptable to me. It’s a Latin word, and it’s plural.

As I’ve argued here on previous occasions, using “media” as a singular (“the media is….”) only invites the notion that the media are a monolith. They’re not. There are all kinds of media, many of which differ from one another in numerous respects.

And yet, even journalists whom I otherwise respect are often heard to use “media” as a singular. Their ...

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Pat Cunningham

I read somewhere the other day that the use of the word “media” as a singular has become so widespread that it’s now considered grammatically acceptable.

Well, it’s not acceptable to me. It’s a Latin word, and it’s plural.

As I’ve argued here on previous occasions, using “media” as a singular (“the media is….”) only invites the notion that the media are a monolith. They’re not. There are all kinds of media, many of which differ from one another in numerous respects.

And yet, even journalists whom I otherwise respect are often heard to use “media” as a singular. Their ...

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